cooper



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- C. B. GOUPER.

PIPE ELBO IB. 110.416,031. atented Nov. 26, 18891.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.. I

(No Model.)

C. B. COOPER.

PIPE ELBOW DIE.

Patented Nov. Z6 1889.

. llvillwlll: l

d a ff the claims.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES B. COOPER, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO VILLARlD F. VALLACE AND HUGH E. COOPER, OF SAME PLACE.

PIPE-ELBOW DIE. p

SPECIFICATION forming partpf Letters Patent No. 416,031, dated November 26, 1889. Application filed February 23, 1889. Serial No. 300,815. (No modell) T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. COOPER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Elbow Dies, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved apparatus for manufacturing pipe` sect-ions or elbows.

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus cheap, simple, and durable in construction, by` which pipe sections can be cheaply and economically manufactured with great rapidity and ease, and without requiring an operator with any particular amount of skill and experience. These objects are accomplished by and my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in combinations of parts, more fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a detail perspective view of the forming-block or female die. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the die or block of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a forming block or die of a somewhat different form or construction. Fig. liis a sectional elevation showing the block or die of Fig. l and the flexible expander therein in the act of being expanded by a plunger to bend the pipe-section. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing a form of die substantially like that of Fig. 3. Figs. 6 and 7 show the blanks from which vthe pipe-sections are made.

In the drawings, the reference-letter a indicates a female die or forming-block, strongly and solidly formed in transverse sections CZ, for convenience in casting, and these sections are so formed as to lock together and withstand great outward pressure, and are removably clamped together by bolts c, so that the sections can be interchanged.

The die or block is provided with a transverse shaping bore or opening b, extending through the sections a portion of the distance through the block, so that one end will be closed by a rigid and solid wall; but if the bore of the block extends completely through the block is provided with a rest or seat d', provided with a flat rigid wall closing the lower end of the bore or forming-opening of theV block. The bore or openingis formed to correspond to the exterior surface of the sections of tube or pipe to be formed. If a curved elbow or section of a curved elbow is to be made, the bore of the block should have the same degree of curvature and the same length as the pipe-section to be formed, and the interior surface of this bore is provided with annular (see c, Fig. 2) or longitudinal grooves. lf it is desired to form the pipe-section with corresponding corrugations, as where portions of an elbow are being made, the end edges of the same are provided with annular corrugations or grooves, by means of which the sections are fastened together to form the completed elbow. Thus the bore shown has the convex wall a and the concave wall o to form the corresponding concave and convex walls of the pipe.

Then it is desired to form an elbow from a single piece, a blank, Fig. G, is used, which blank is first stamped or cut out of suitable sheet material, and is then bentinto the form of a' straight tube, with its longitudinal end edges loosely overlapping. One end of the tube thus formed is then inserted. a short distance into the bore or forming-'opening of the die shown in Figs. l and et, which bore of this die is of the full length and curvature of a complete elbow, and after the end of the tube has been inserted in the bore a hollow airtight cylinderf, formed of iiexible material, is then inserted in the tube blank and heavy pressure applied to the end of the same, so as to expand the same laterally within and against the inner Walls of the tube and thereby force the same against the inner surface of the forming-opening with sufiicient pressure to cause the metal of the tube to permanently conform to the shapev and curve of said opening. Then the pressure is removed, the flexible cylinder is withdrawn and the tube-blank is pressed a little farther into the forming-opening, (this is possible, as the edges of the blank merely loosely overlap,) and the flexible air-tight cylinder is again inserted and pressure applied as before. This operation is continued until the complete elbow is formed. The finished IOO blank is then withdrawn from the opening and its longitudinal edges suitably secured together.

For making sections of curved elbows, a die such as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 is employed, having an opening of the form of a curved section of pipe concaved on the longer side and convex on the shorter side, the opening from thence preferably extending upwardly in a straight line, as shown in Fig. 5; or it can be formed, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the flexible expansible cylinder can be used to greater advantage or to form end sections for the elbows curved half their length and straight the rest of their length. YThe blanks used for forming curved elbow-sections are indicated by the letters g and h. The blank indicated by 7L is used to form the end section of an elbow, and these sections are made in the same way as the integral elbow before described, only the section-blank is bent circular and inserted in the opening and formed by one compression of the internal forming piston or cylinder. rlhe sections g are made into intermediate sections of an elbow.

The flexible expander in the present instance consists ol' a hollow rubber cylinder closed at one end and preferably open at the other, and which, when contracted or in its normal condition, is considerally smaller than the section to be formed thereby. This internal die or expander is expanded by a plunger t', reciprocated by suitable mechanism, and having a projection j on its lower end to ,fit in and close the upper open end of the expander. The lower closed end of the expander tits against the closed end of the forming-opening. It is evident that the confined body in the expander can be either air or fluid. The projection ,j and the lower end of the plunger are so formed that when the plunger is forced down the upper open end of the flexible expander will be sealed air or Huid tight.

k indicates a collar that can be loosely placed on the plunger to bear on the upper end of a complete elbow-blank, as shown in Fig. Ll, and by which this elbow can be fed down into the forming-opening as the expander is contracted.

It is evident that Various changes might be made in the form and arrangement of the parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise construction herein set forth.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim isl. In an apparatus for making curved pipesections, a die-block having a forming-opening transversely extending through the same, conforming to the shape of the pipe-section to be produced, and provided with a rigid wall at one end, in combination with an elastic hollow cylinder adapted to be inserted in a hollow cylindrical blank in said opening, and means to engage the end of the cylinder and expand the same laterally, substantially as described.

2. In an apparat-us for making curved pipesections, a die-block formed in transverse sections, having a cylindrical forming-opening extending transversely through said sections, and bolts securing the sections together, in combination with a hollow air-tight elastic expanding-cylinder to be inserted loosely in a cylindrical bla-nk in said opening, and a plunger to engage the end of said cylinder, substantially as described.

3. A die-block composed of diagonally-cut transverse sections formed to lock one on the other, a curved forming-opening extending transversely through said sections, a seat upon which said sections rest, forming a rigid wall closing one end of said opening, and bolts securing the sections and seat together, in combina-tion with the elastic hollow expandingcylinder, substantially as described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 14th day of December, A. D. 1888.

CHARLES B. COOPER.

lVitnesses:

JAMES Fox, Il. S. STALLKNECHT. 

